Another Test to Detect Autism Earlier
Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia are studying how to use 3-D imaging to analyze the facial structures and brain abnormalities of autistic children, in the hopes of developing a formula to identify autism in young children. From a press release:
“When you compare the faces and head shapes of children with specific types of autism to other children, it is obvious there are variations. Currently, autism diagnosis is purely behavior based and doctors use tape measurements to check for facial and brain dissimilarities. We are developing a quantitative method that will accurately measure these differences and allow for earlier, more precise detection of specific types of the disorder,” said Ye Duan, assistant computer science professor in the MU College of Engineering. “Once we have created a formula, we can pre-screen children by performing a quick, non-invasive scan of each child’s face and brain to check for abnormalities. Early detection is crucial in treating children and preparing families.”
……..
“Instead of looking at brain structures slice-by-slice in an MRI (magnetic resonance image), we developed tools to create 3-D representations of the structures in order to visualize and make comparisons,” said Kevin Karsch, a research assistant in Duan’s computer graphics lab, MU senior and Goldwater Scholar. “Using the 3-D representations, we are comparing the brain structures of autistic children to those of non-autistic children; no one has ever done that.”
As autism is currently diagnosed through the observation of a child’s behavior, researchers believe that the development of a test, of a biomarker for autism, might result. Professor Duan’s studies rely on two “subgroups” of autism that have been hypothetically identified by Judith Miles, the William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Child Health at the Thompson Center:
She has observed and distinguished children with a tendency toward more physical and brain abnormalities and smaller heads as having complex autism. Only about 20 percent of affected children fit this subset. The other 80 percent are classified as having essential autism. Miles also has identified physical similarities in facial structure and increased cranium size among those in the essential group and has speculated that the traits may be related to brain abnormalities.
My own son was born with a large head (so was I) and he continues to have one (as do I).
Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, computer science, Diagnosis, disabilities blog, disability, Family, family blog, Health, missouri, mri, Neuroscience, Parenting, pdd-nosRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Diagnosis, Neuroscience
21 opinions for Another Test to Detect Autism Earlier
MomtoJBG
Aug 19, 2008 at 4:39 pm
When I see pictures of other kids with autism, I’m sometimes struck by the resemblance to my boys: giant heads, long eye-lashes, generally angelic look (okay, the last one is probably mommy-bias, I admit).
One of my sons had an abnormal MRI and the other didn’t, although they are identical twins. Go figure.
RAJ
Aug 19, 2008 at 4:56 pm
All too reminscent of German psychiatrists and mental health workers in the 1930’s who went around, calipers in hand, measuring head circumferences and quantifying personality traits to identify those of suspect geneology.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Aug 19, 2008 at 5:27 pm
@RAJ, I suppose this study could lead to parents seeing a large head circumference as a potential “red flag for autism.”
@Mom to JBG, that’s pretty much what Charlie looks like—always had the long eye lashes.
Regan
Aug 19, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Here’s a link to their research studies so you can see whether it is something more sophisticated than those calipers,
http://www.genetics.missouri.edu/Autismresearch.htm
I don’t find it particularly amiss–there are more than a few genetic and prenatal syndromes that are partially assessed by morphologic discriminations. Perhaps the computer will be able to distinguish characteristic subtleties useful for diagnostic purposes.
Karin
Aug 19, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I can sort of see some reasons for the larger heads (my son’s has always been off the chart), but the eyelashes have always puzzled me - and he has gorgeous long ones too! Most interesting…
hammie
Aug 19, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Well, there is a lot very good looking kids in my kids school. I always put it down to the non verbal - late talkers thing. Like they don’t develop naso labial lines from talking and keep that soft cheeked look for longer
And another part of me says they evolved that way so we would love them more.
But for me I think the whole is greater than the sum of the parts;
Both my kids are WAY better looking than either me or Mr Hammie combined. objectively speaking.
But both wear an unusually small helmet at the riding school
xxxx
U know, i think there is some equation for beauty and people like Angelina and Brad Pitt have it along with our kids.
Maybe there is something to do with Symmetry and proportions?
CS
Aug 19, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I have the biggest head of anyone I’ve ever met. Never found a hat in a store that would fit it, except those expandable toboggan things. Same with my son who can wear an adult size ball cap at 5. Anyone ever see Suzanne Wright’s gigantic cranium? It should have its own zip code.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Aug 19, 2008 at 8:45 pm
CS, I have noted that about her.
BTDT
Aug 19, 2008 at 9:21 pm
My son has extremely long eyelashes too!
Bonnie Sayers
Aug 20, 2008 at 12:27 am
My son Matthew was born with a big head and has very long eye lashes. We are part of AGRE and gave them that data plus the Univ of WA study and a few other studies.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Aug 20, 2008 at 1:39 am
And I’m not kidding, I was born with a big head, still wear hat size Large though I not tall (not even “tallish”). When my grandfather Yeh-Yeh saw me in the hospital, his first words were that I have a big forehead.
Storkdok
Aug 20, 2008 at 8:10 am
My son’s head is and has always been in the small/normal range and never had an increased growth rate as an infant/toddler.
I’ve had a lot of moms ask me about head circumference on the Cafemom autism group since that one study a year or two ago that looked at an increase in head circumference growth rate in children with autism.
There was also a lot of talk a few years ago about the “tilt” test in infants/toddlers and whether that could screen for ASD.
donald savitz
Aug 20, 2008 at 9:52 am
How nic that we are going to have another test tofind out if the child has autism or not. Some questions on this new toy! First is at what age is this going to be good for is it giong to tell at the time of birth or we stell have to wait tell they are 2 or 3 after they have gotten the vaccines? If you have to waitthat long then what good is?
Bonnie
Aug 20, 2008 at 9:57 am
Gee, Casey has a big head and long eyelashes. It’s just a given then I suppose!
sherry
Aug 20, 2008 at 11:04 am
Both of my boys have autism and the very long eye lashes but only one has a big head. My oldest has trouble getting his shirt on. He is a very slim 5 year old. Still fits in most of his 4T clothes but you really have to stretch to get it over his head. Both boys are beautiful. We always get comments from total strangers about them. I too see that all the kids at school with my son are very good looking kids.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Aug 20, 2008 at 11:59 am
Here’s something about the study on accelerated head growth. Charlie’s often had trouble pulling a shirt over his head—-no turtlenecks.
superpanda
Aug 20, 2008 at 12:33 pm
My boy has big head and long eyelashes! He is pretty slim… he looks like a lollipop from far! Most autistic kids I met are very handsome.
Regan
Aug 20, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Very interesting comments about the eyelashes.
Eleanor has a big head…but all of us do in the family. As Kristina commented–no turtlenecks (smile).
But the eyelashes are something distinctive, and different from others in the family. People almost invariably commented on Eleanor’s “long lashes” when she was a baby and young child.
Another Laura
Aug 20, 2008 at 12:52 pm
This represents progress. As some one who still wonders is-he-or-isn’t he, I welcome the introduction of biological markers, even if they’re not dispositive. Also, it might bring more parents into the fold - the parents who aren’t persuaded by the vague DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.
daedalus2u
Aug 20, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Many types of hair follicles are sensitive to androgens and are stimulated by them. This is the mechanism for most growth of pubic hair around puberty. I don’t know if eye lash hair is androgen sensitive.
Androgen synthesis is inhibited by NO, so low NO causes increased androgen levels. I think this is the mechanism for PCOS and being hirsute.
I think the stimulation of hair by low NO is a feedback mechanism to stimulate the growth of the bacteria I am working with. Low NO increases androgen levels, that causes hair to increase and expands the niche where the bacteria live, increasing the NO/NOx they produce.
Melody
Aug 20, 2008 at 11:54 pm
“Charlie’s often had trouble pulling a shirt over his head—-no turtlenecks.”
LOL same here. My hat size is bigger than my dad’s, even when I was a teenager. I think he has fairly long eyelashes. About shirt head holes — it’s even worse when you have huge glasses! I need to take them off before I can begin to think about changing clothes.
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